A Shift in the Balance
by dragondustbubblez
Summary: A storm has come and everyone is in danger. Yuki, Kyo, and Hatori, an unlikely trio, end up on an adventure they will never  forget. As they pass into a new world after death, they realize that they must complete a task to save their loved ones from fate.
1. Tingling Senses

**Fruits Basket – A Shift in the Balance **

It all started with a shift in time. Yuki, Kyo, and Hatori go through what they were least expecting. Now they know, if there can be a curse, there can be other wonders that are unheard of. This unlikely group goes on a journey that changes their lives and the way they see each other forever. Along they way, they find out that if they don't find what the Zodiac god wants, it's all over for the Sohmas.

Genre: sci-fi, fantasy, angst, horror, romance, adventure

Based on _Fruits Basket (__**mild/moderate spoilers!!!! U have been warned!!) Plz review!!! **_

Chapter One – Tingling Senses

Yuki sat quietly in his desk, staring of into space. The whole class was quiet, except for the silent sound of pens scratching against papers. Girls in the back were giggling quietly about an inside joke they created. Yuki turned around, slightly annoyed, and looked toward the girls. They immediately became quiet, and blushed brightly while smiling sheepishly at him. Yuki turned back around in his chair and sighed. What was it about him that made girls so. . . . girlish? He pondered about this for a while and glanced at the clock. It was almost time to go, yet the time was so far away. He had already finished his class work and was waiting for the teacher's next instructions. Unfortunately, the quietness was putting him to sleep. Yuki lowered onto his desk and rested his head onto his arms. Maybe he'd just close his eye for a moment. . .

Yuki stirred slowly while he heard a slight noise. Also, someone was shaking his shoulder. "Yuki?" asked the voice. Yuki groaned and opened his eyes. He hated being woken up. He looked up and found a familiar face. Her usual happy face was filled with concern. "Yuki, are you alright?" she asked. Yuki blinked at her and answered. "I'm fine Ms. Honda, just a l–little t-t-tired," he said past a yawn. "I'm afraid that I didn't get much sleep last night." "Why's that?" "I'm not sure. I got the strangest dreams and tingling sensations that kept waking me up." Yuki sat up in his desk, only to find a long string of drool descending from his mouth to the desk. Embarrassed, Yuki blushed and quickly swept it away. Tohru saw this and giggled. She had never seen him drool in his sleep before. They both got up their belongings and walked out the school, with Kyo following close behind. "So Kyo," started Tohru," how was school for you today?" Kyo looked over at her and shrugged. "It's the same as always, I guess." Suddenly, Yuki stopped in his tracks. He got the feeling that he was forgetting something. Kyo walked right into him. "Argh!!!! Watch where you're going Kuso Nezumi!" Yuki came back to reality and sighed. "Well," he started," you should know when someone's in front of you Baka Neko. YOU look where you're going." "That's it sissy boy! Just get all tough by talking! I'll hit you so hard, you're mother will feel it!!!" "That's nonsense." "No it ain't!!!" "Yes, it is. And it proves that you really are an idiot." "SHUT UP!!!!!" Yuki and Kyo bickered all the way home. Tohru tried to say goodbye to them before going to her job, but they couldn't even hear her. Soon, they noticed that she had already left. "Good going Baka Neko," sneered Yuki. "We didn't even get to say bye to her because you were yelling so loud." "YOU STARTED IT!!!!" "Stop yelling. You're giving me an earache." "You better be getting one!" Yuki sighed and kept walking, ignoring Kyo's constant rants. He had better things to think about. As soon as they reached home, Shigure looked outside his study room. "Yuki, Kyo? Can you do me a favor?" "NO," they both answered. They both went up to their rooms and slammed their doors. Shigure looked up the stairs. "Geez. Is a cup of water too much to ask for?"

Tohru came out of the Sohma building that she worked in and gazed at the sky. _"It's so peaceful and clear tonight,"_ she thought. But then she looked again. Big, dark clouds were beginning to come in and they didn't look welcoming. _"Uh-oh. It looks like a storm's coming in. I better hurry and get home." _Walking a little quicker, she began the journey home. Meanwhile, a large and very bright lightning bolt struck the ground. The dirt cracked and made the earth shake. Startled, Tohru started to walk quicker. It even started to rain. The rain was coming down so hard that she could barely see what was in front of her. While running along, she didn't notice a book in the middle of the path and tripped on it. She came down with a thud and landed in the mud. A little discouraged and dripping wet, she tried to dry herself off; with little success, seeing how it was raining so hard. She bent over and picked up the book, curiously looking over it. _"I wonder who this belongs to." _Tohru brushed it off with her sleeve and looked at the title. The title was Zodiac Myths. Tohru also noticed a tag on the side. Coincidentally, it had a gift tag on it that was decorated in pure, golden ribbon. (This was strange because the book looked so old) The tag said "TO: Yuki, Kyo, and Hatori, FROM: No name. Even though Tohru was utterly confused, she took the book with her, hoping to see what was inside with them.

Yuki was the first to hear Tohru come through the door. "My goodness!" he exclaimed. "You're all wet! Were you in the rain this whole time?" "Yeah," she answered. "But I have to show you something. Oh! And Kyo too." Yuki moaned. He REALLY did not want to see him right now. Still, he went up stairs and went to his bedroom door. Kyo heard a knock on his door. Hoping it was Tohru, he opened it. He scowled. "What do you want?" he asked rudely. "Ms. Honda's home. And don't look at me like that. She sent me up here to get you. Otherwise I wouldn't be here." "I still think you're queer." Yuki shot him a look of complete hatred and kicked him in the crotch. Kyo ducked down in pain, muttering curses Yuki hadn't even heard before. "Hurry up," said Yuki. "You don't want to keep her waiting, do you?" "Damn rat," murmured Kyo, just when Yuki was out of hearing range.

Tohru had just begun to dry off when she heard Yuki walking down the stairs, followed by a rather unhappy looking Kyo. "What have you got there?" asked Yuki. "Are you stupid or something," scowled Kyo. "It's obviously a book." Yuki ignored him for a moment and looked at the title. Suddenly, becoming instantly interested in it, he sat down with the book and opened it. On the inside, the pages looked like they were burnt around the edges yet the writing was still neat and in tact. Yuki breezed through it, stopping to look at pictures. One picture in particular caught his attention. It was a picture of the thirteen animals of the zodiac with a weird looking being hovering over them with its arms stretched out. He studied this photo while Tohru and Kyo just stared at him. "What is it Yuki?" asked Tohru. Yuki looked up at her with wide eyes. "This is no ordinary book." Kyo became curious and looked over at it. His eyes too, became wide with wonder. What was this feeling that ran through them? Like, as if they had to . . . do something. They continued to feel connected to the book and stared at its contents. But when Tohru came around to see it, the book was slammed shut. Tohru and the two boys jumped back while the book was dropped to the floor. "I'm sorry," stated Tohru. "Was I not supposed to see it?" "We didn't do that," said Kyo. They all stared at the mysterious book until someone was brave enough to touch it again. For some reason, this book generated many feelings in Yuki and Kyo, while Tohru didn't feel anything. Yuki suddenly felt vengeful yet weary. Kyo was excited but fearful. Something wasn't right. The tingles that went all over their bodies weren't natural. Something was wrong.


	2. The Storm

Oops! Almost forgot. DISCLAIMER: I do not own Fruits Basket or any other animes!!!!

Chapter 2 – The Storm

All three of them just stood there staring at the book, then Tohru went over to pick it up. "This sure is a strange book," she said. "I wonder who it came from." She attempted to open it, but no matter how much she tried, the book stayed shut. Yuki came around and took the book from her. He pried it open with ease, as if it was tissue paper. "Well," he started, "if this book doesn't let Ms. Honda see it, then we should explain it to her." Kyo nodded in agreement. The two boys gazed over the content of the pages and tried their best to tell Tohru about it. Most of it seemed like nonsense to her, but to the boys, it made perfect sense for some reason. "Strange," said Yuki, curiously, looking over the unusual letters in the book. "These markings look familiar, yet I haven't the faintest clue of what they are. I-I've never even seen something like this before! Do you think it's some ancient language?" "Maybe," answered Kyo, his eyes wide open. "M-Maybe we should ask Shigure about this. We don't know if it's bad or anything."

"Sorry fellas, but um, I can't decipher the book if it won't open for me!" sighed Shigure, as he tried to pry it open with a knife. "Well, what do we do now?" asked Tohru. Kyo yawned and looked out the window. "Who CARES? It's way past midnight and we still have school tomorrow." Yuki hated to agree with him, but he was right. It was just a book, and it was very late. They had to sleep. "Besides," said Kyo, "the weather outside isn't helping either. I think I'm catching a cold." Tohru turned around in immediate concern and felt his forehead. "Forget I said anything, I fine," sighed Kyo. "It's probably just the curse acting up. You know what this type of weather does to me." Tohru was still worried but let him be.

As they all got ready for bed, Kyo began to feel a bit uncomfortable. "Hey, you," he called out. Yuki turned around, annoyed. "I have a name, you know," he scowled. "Fine, whatever! Look, I don't like talking to you so I'll make it brief." "If you don't want to talk, don't call me in the first place." "Shut up, cut the crap, and listen. You know about the book and the weird weather, right?" "Well, seeing as how I live here, apparently so," said Yuki, sarcastically. "Hmph! Well, anyway, have you been getting any, well, strange dreams lately? Cause I have and I just KNOW that it's not normal." "Well, technically, you're not normal anyway." "ARGH!! SHUT UP, I'M SERIOUS!!" "Actually, I can recall having some strange dreams, but probably not like the ones you have." "Does it have anything to do with an ice crystal?" Yuki paused. Maybe there was a connection. "Hmm, I-it does. That's odd. Have we been having the same dream?" Kyo looked into his eyes, not with the usual anger, but with fear. "I-I don't know. One way or another, something's happening, and it's not pretty either." Yuki nodded in agreement. The both of the looked out the window to see the oncoming storm get worse.

Morning came closer than Kyo imaged it would. Not only that, but the weather's affects on him were really taking a toll on him. He couldn't even get out of bed without stumbling from dizziness. "Kyo, you really shouldn't go to school today," said Tohru. "You look awful!" "Fine," sighed Kyo. "I'll stay. Just don't come home too early because of me." Shigure brought his ear closer to the television to hear over the howling wind. "I don't think anyone's going out today. Listen." All of them went quiet as they heard the TV. It said, "_To everyone, this is a storm warning. It is recommended that you stay in your homes today, for the storm all around Japan is growing worse. To lower chances of accidents, close all your doors, windows, or any other open spaces. For the safety of your families, only go out for necessaries when the storm is at its mildest. Phone lines may be off for awhile, due to the high winds. We will let you know if it gets any worse. It may be possible that we may have to give out a possible hurricane warning. For five straight days we are expecting this storm, so all schools have been canceled until further notice. And for safety precautions, in the worst of the storm, please turn off any electric appliances to lower risks of a fire. Thank you. This has been a Japan weather report. _"This could be bad…," thought Kyo. "If the storm gets any worse than it is, I'll be in bed all day." Yuki looked out the window and looked into the sky. These clouds were pretty scary looking. They were a dark gray with hints of different colors in them. It was mixed with a faint orange, a bright purple, and a dark green. "Kyo," Yuki called. "Look here. What do those colors mean?" Kyo looked up. He didn't answer but just kept staring at the sky, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. "Ms. Honda," said Yuki, still staring at the sky, "could you bring that book you found over here please?" Tohru made her way around the coffee table in the living room and carefully picked up the mysterious book. She gave Yuki the book and looked away so that the book wouldn't close on her again. "Well, what does it say?" asked Shigure. Yuki looked over it, but something was different. Before, the letters were in a strange language they couldn't read, but then it completely changed. He could actually read it, even if the writing was faint. His eyebrows furrowed as he tried to read it. "It says," Yuki began, "Enable to open a portal, three gates must be unlocked. The gate of the wise, the gate of the royal, and the gate of the outcast. . . I don't understand this. I would ask you, Shigure, but the book closes on you." Shigure stared at the book and thought for a moment. "Maybe you need to call Hatori, you know, since he's on the gift tag." Yuki went to the phone and dialed for Hatori's house. "Don't you think we should wait till tomorrow?" asked Tohru. "The storm looks pretty threatening." "I don't know," replied Yuki. "I know that would be the sensible thing to do, but this is kind of an emergency." Tohru was confused, but didn't question him. She looked over at Kyo, who was still staring at the sky. "K-Kyo?" she asked, warily. He didn't answer. She touched his arm and he looked away from the window, startled. "A-Are you okay, Kyo?" Tohru asked. "Yeah, just a little distracted."

Yuki hung up the phone. He was surprised that there was even service on the phones at this time of the storm. "Well," said Shigure, "what did Hatori say?" "He didn't say anything, he just said that he was on his way," said Yuki, confusedly. "He didn't even ask why I asked him to come." Shigure looked at the ground, pondering. That wasn't like Hatori to just come with out having something else to do. And if he did come, he would always ask, just in case it was Shigure trying to waste his time. In fact, he arrived faster than usual. He was already at the front door.

* * *

Alrighty then, I am SOOOO mad!!! I accedentally saved this doc. over my whole story. So it will take me a while to update this story. (since I have to type it all over again!) So sorry everybody. For now on, plz read my other story, Poison and Regret, as I will be updating that first. Meanwhile, I will be making this story... 


	3. The Three Gates

Chapter 3 – The Three Gates

Tohru walked up to the front door and opened it. Hatori quickly stepped in and dried his umbrella off.

"Alright, what is it?" he asked impatiently. "Make it quick because I'm on a tight schedule." Kyo exchanged looks with Yuki for a moment and looked away. "Um," started Tohru, "we called you over because, well, um (she chuckled nervously) you probably wouldn't believe us if we told you."

Hatori sighed. "Well, if you're going to tell nonsense to me you shouldn't bother to call. I'm very busy, you should know, and I need to be consulted on IMPORTANT matters. You should know better Ms. Honda."

Tohru looked up at him, a little taken aback. She had been scolded by Hatori before, but this was different. Not only he looked disapproving, he looked angry. "O-oh," started Tohru, sniffling. "I'm sorry." Yuki came up behind her to comfort her and led her to a chair. She seemed a little shocked. "What the HELL is your problem?" yelled Kyo from across the room. She didn't do anything to you!" Hatori brow furrowed. "It's none of your concern. I have a reason to be irritated, unlike some people in this house." Kyo growled. Hatori looked over at Tohru, who was wiping her eyes.

"I suppose I should apologize. I was being a bit harsh. I did come for a reason." Tohru looked up and suppressed a small smile. "My question is, is how you came here so fast without even asking why," said Shigure, his face in a confused expression. "Well, I had a feeling that it was important, so I came as fast as I could. But be quick, Akito is getting sicker by the minute."

"He's sick?" asked Yuki. "Yes. I-I . . . I think he's dying." Everyone remained quiet. Hatori broke the silence. "So, why was I called?" "Well," stated Yuki, "Tohru found this book you see and I think that you should look at it. Kyo and I feel really weird about it. Not only that; it's addressed to you too." "Why is this book so strange?" "See for yourself."

Hatori walked over to the book, gazing at it carefully. The same feeling that ran through Yuki and Kyo ran through him. He picked up the book and glanced through the pages. Eventually, the silence ended with the sound of the book being closed. Everyone looked up at him. Hatori adjusted his reading glasses. "Ok, here's how it goes. Nobody touch this book. Don't even ask to. It might be dangerous. I can tell. I'll go and ask Akito about it. He should know what's going on. It's probably a joke, though. But heed my caution just in case." And with that, Hatori walked out the door and into the rain.

"Well, what now?" asked Yuki, starting to feel like the whole thing was a ruse. Shigure sat back in his seat. "I don't know. He said not to look at the book." "Maybe we should give him the book so that he can show it to Akito," said Kyo. "It's kinda useless if it just stays here."

Yuki picked up the book and headed out the door, with Kyo following behind him. Once outside, Yuki looked around him and searched for Hatori. He was still there and standing next to his car, staring at the sky. "H-Hatori?" Yuki asked hesitantly. Hatori continued to stare at the sky and simply said, "Look." He pointed at the atmosphere and both Yuki and Kyo looked up.

The colors in the sky were beginning to swarm in a circle. It seemed to make deadly dance across the sky as it swirled around in a vortex. All three boys began to back away slowly, but they couldn't go any further than a couple inches because of their curiosity. Suddenly, the clouds cleared in one spot and something had fallen from the heavens. It was still raining, but in this spot the rain had stopped. Hatori couldn't help but to walk towards the fallen object. It looked like a gate. It was made of stone and covered in beautiful ivy patterns. It looked like it had come from an Old English castle. Hatori stepped up to the gate and found a smooth, glass lock on the door of the gate. It had the carving of a dragon on it.

"Hatori, what are you doing?" asked Kyo warily. "Shouldn't we leave strange objects alone?" Hatori paid no attention to him and continued to inspect the odd object before him. He looked into the keyhole of the lock. It looked like it needed a key . . .

Suddenly, his eyes began to burn with an uncomforting feeling. No matter how much he wanted to close his eyes, he couldn't. They began to water with pain. Hatori concentrated on the pain for a moment but then he saw something in his reflection from the lock. His eyes were glowing a bright green. Soon enough, the pain disappeared and he could move away from the gate. As he did so, the gate budged until it lifted from the ground and disappeared into the sky.

"What the hell is going on?" asked Kyo, scratching his head. "Isn't it obvious?" said Yuki, having a thought. "Remember what the book said earlier? It said that the wise, the royal, and the outcast would have a gate appear before them. We must be them! The rat is the god's favorite in the stories so I must be the royal, Hatori is really smart so he must be the wise, and you must be the outcast because the cat wasn't accepted into the zodiac! It all makes sense." "Yeah, but why is it happening now?" "It must be that book."

Yuki stared at the book in his hands and thought deeper. He was startled by the arrival of the next gate. This gate was made of pure gold with a lock made of extremely shiny silver. "Must be yours," muttered Kyo to Yuki, turning his head in the other direction to hide his disappointment. Yuki stepped up to his gate and received the same treatment that Hatori had. In time, Yuki heard a clicking noise that told him that the lock was gaping. "Ow," stated Yuki, as he rubbed his eyes.

"Well, I guess you are all that's left," said Hatori, turning to Kyo. "Brace yourself, it stings your eyes." "I can handle it!" said Kyo. "Stop treating me like I'm five." "Well, if you stopped acting like a five year old, maybe we'd treat you like your age," murmured Yuki with a smirk. Kyo, not hearing Yuki's comment, turned around and waited for his gate. It wasn't pretty.

Kyo's gate came crashing down with a loud thud that shook the ground. The gate, unlike Yuki and Hatori's, it wasn't shiny or glorious. It was scraggily looking with chips in it. It had barbed wire that was sharp to the touch. The lock was made of rough iron and wasn't very well made. It was engulfed in silver chains. _"And so my reputation says . . ." _thought Kyo.

He stepped up and looked into the lock. At first he could handle the pain that came to his eyes, but it gradually got worse and worse. It gorged at his eyes until he began to yell in agony. Hatori and Yuki rushed over to him. "Kyo, get out of there!" shouted Hatori. "I CAN'T!!" screamed Kyo. "I CAN'T MOVE!! IT WON'T LET ME!!!" Finally, a click was heard and Kyo flinched back quickly. He rubbed the fallen liquid from his eyes in hopes to hide that he had been crying. But they weren't tears; it was blood.

"Stand still," said Hatori, coming back over to him with a rag that he wet from a nearby puddle. He gently dabbed at Kyo's eyes while he gritted his teeth in pain. "Ugh, WHY are we doing this?" he yelled once Hatori was done. "I don't know, but I have the feeling that we don't have a choice," said Yuki, watching the last gate disappear into the sky.


	4. Dead Men Don't Weep

Chapter 4 – Dead Men Don't Weep

All three boys continued to stand in the rain, drenched as ever. Nothing seemed to be happening. Was it all a dream? Were they going to wake up? Apparently not.

The sky began to rumble, which was strange because the sky usually doesn't shake. A gigantic concrete wall fell from the sky slowly. It was much higher than the trees alone. It settled close to the ground, yet it didn't touch land. It just stayed afloat. Its doors were closed shut.

Kyo seemed to be trembling. Only Hatori and Yuki were calm. All of a sudden, all of them heard a noise coming from the wall. "What is that?" asked Yuki curiously. "I-I don't know," replied Hatori. "It sounds like swishy noise." "S-Sounds like water," whimpered Kyo. Naturally, he didn't like water, but he wasn't afraid of it. In this case, there was an exception. He began to quaver right where he stood, eager to run for the hills. "G-Guys," he said weakly. "I think we should g-go inside. Like NOW."

"Why? Isn't this another gate to open?" asked Yuki, not so sure why Kyo was so afraid. He and Hatori walked closer the mysterious wall. Then, out of nowhere, a bit of the door creaked open, releasing water onto the ground. It covered their feet. "Uh, Kyo?" began Yuki. Before he could finish, Kyo shouted. "Guys run! IT'S A FLOOD!!"

All three boys ran into the house as the doors gradually opened a little more over time, letting more liquid out. Once they closed the door to Shigure's house they began to go into every room and lock the windows and fill in cracks in the doorways. "What's going on?" asked Shigure. "I don't have time to explain," panicked Hatori. "You and Tohru go upstairs, it's important that you get as high as you can." "But –" "NOW!!!" Without any further questions, Shigure and Tohru ran upstairs and went to the highest point in the house. "Yuki," called out Hatori, "bring that book over here." Yuki took the book over to him.

Before Hatori could turn over the cover, the book began to act on its own. The pages turned themselves and turned to a blank page. Words and markings began to fill out the sheet. Hatori read out loud.

"Once the gates are opened, a flood gate appears to complete the process. Enable for souls to pass from one place to another, a perishing act must take place. If the task at hand is not taken out at the proper timing, the whole area in which the storm is covering will be flooded and frozen. The first ones to die will be the loved ones of the chosen three."

"What does that mean?" asked Kyo, reading over it again. Yuki gulped. "Does that mean we have to . . ." Hatori wiped off his glasses and didn't answer. Kyo closed his eyes and thought for a minute. "Fine." He got up and walked to the door. "If it'll save **her**, then . . . ARGH!!! I've got nothing to live for anyway!! I'm gonna die anyway so she should just forget about us all!!!" Just as he was about to turn the door knob, he expression softened. How would she feel to hear that he was gone? Could she go on without him? _"Of course she can!" _he thought to himself. _"She never needs me. Besides, she has that DAMN Yuki to protect her. I'd be better off alone anyway."_ As Kyo stepped out, it took everything he had to keep in the tears that were threatening to come out.

Hatori adjusted his glasses and got up. "Coming?" he asked flatly. "G-Give me a moment," said Yuki, avoiding Hatori's eyes. Hatori sighed. "If . . . if I don't come back, give Shigure and Ayame my best wishes. And tell Tohru that, that I, (sigh) that I'm sorry." And with that, Hatori stepped out.

Yuki was the only one left downstairs. He could go upstairs to stay with Tohru, but that would only complicate things. The process of the perish needed him too. If he went, he would die, but save everybody else. If he didn't go, he'd die with them. Either way he was dead. Yuki looked up to the ceiling, knowing that Shigure and Tohru were waiting for them. He sighed and got up, his heart heavy. He had to save them. He couldn't leave Hatori and Kyo alone to die either. He was just being selfish. As he touched the doorknob, several memories ran through his head. This really was the last chance to see her. Yuki looked back at the ceiling as if Tohru could hear him. "Tohru," he said softly, not aware that he had let go of his tears and let them roll down his cheeks, "I'm sorry."

Yuki dried his eyes on his sleeve and found that Kyo and Hatori were still out side in the rain. Hatori had the book with him. "What happens now?" asked Kyo. "I think we wait," predicted Hatori, clutching the book tightly. All three of them stood there, awaiting the flood that would drown them into oblivion.

An hour later, the water had risen to their necks. Each boy was struggling to keep above the water in hopes to save themselves. "NOW WHAT?!?!?" yelled Kyo, while he wriggled his way through the water. "I think the water is still rising," said Yuki. "Eventually, it will be high enough to push us under." "Oh great! Just what I've ALWAYS wanted! A slow and painful death!" Yuki scowled at Kyo's sarcastic nature and looked forward.

Yuki, Kyo, and Hatori looked in the same direction in surprise. The door was opening faster. They all began to hold their breaths. The door made a last attempting budge and burst open. Tons of water splashed on top of the three boys, pushing them further underwater. They all swirled helplessly and tried to find their bearings; without much success.

Yuki was the first to have increased difficulty. His asthma had gotten the best of him and he began to have an attack right where he was. He tightly closed his eyes in pain and tried to hold his breath. The attack got worse and he opened his mouth. Yuki gasped for the air he missed and gallons of liquid rushed into his lungs. He tried to yell but all that came out were squirts of blood. Soon, he saw Hatori and Kyo swim over to him in a hurry. He tried to keep himself steady, but his vision was failing him. He couldn't anything but darkness . . .

Hatori swam as fast as he could. He went to Yuki's limp body and shook it. He didn't respond. Hatori grabbed Yuki by the torso and signaled for Kyo to follow him. Both boys swam until they hit the top of the water, spitting out excess liquid from their mouths.

"Yuki?" asked Hatori loudly. "Yuki! YUKI! No . . ." "What?" stuttered Kyo. "I-It . . . it can't be . . ." "No, he could still be alive. We need to get to higher ground!"

Hatori and Kyo tried their best to keep Yuki above the water and swam to a nearby tree. They both held on with all their strength, but the current was getting faster and faster. Hatori wasn't even aware that he had let go of the book that he was carrying.

Suddenly, the water began to relax and change directions. The water was going back into the portal that it came from. It was sucking them back in! The two boys were forced back in by the current's strong vigor and were sent back underwater. Hatori accidentally let go of Yuki and his unconscious body slammed into Kyo's abdomen. Kyo's breath was knocked out of him and he too was blanking out. Soon, his face was like Yuki's; pale and lifeless.

Hatori almost gasped, but held his mouth closed. He grasped both boys and attempted to swim against the stream. The current was too strong for him and it sent him and the other two boys in his hands flying through the water and into the portal itself. Hatori swam harder than ever, veins stressing out on his temple. The doors of the portal began to close. _"NO! Not now!!! Let me thro . . . ARGH!!" _

The doors closed and the whole area was pitch-black. Hatori knew that there was only one thing left to do. He held on to the two lifeless boys and swam to what was hopefully the top, searching for a spot to catch some air. There wasn't any luck there so he changed directions and headed for the bottom. That wasn't any good either. The whole space was filled with water top to bottom.

Hatori felt himself going faint. His lungs were screaming for air and painfully lunged at his heart. His limbs aborted him and he let go of Yuki and Kyo. He unknowingly opened his mouth and let in water. He didn't struggle and let the liquid fall in. All thoughts left him as he and the others sank to the bottom.

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Well guys, looks like this the end of . . . LOL JUST KIDDING!!! I will update as soon as I can but for now, I am focusing on Poison and Regret and a new story. Also, almost the rest of the chapters in this story will be in an AU (for those who don't know, that's "alternate universe") and a couple of OC's will show up. Just thought I'd let you know!

P.S. – don't forget to review!!!!!! ;)


	5. Where Are We?

Chapter 5 – Where Are We?

It was bright. Too bright. Yet, it seemed pleasant for a moment. So this was what it was like to be dead. Hmm, it wasn't so bad. He could still think, breathe, and see. But he couldn't move and that sucked the most. But it was his thoughts and him alone. It was quite peaceful. He couldn't remember a time when had this much silence to himself. The only thing was, was that it wasn't complete silence. In the background, he could hear birds singing and the wind calmly shaking the leaves of trees. It calmed him down somewhat and helped him to relax about this whole new experience. But, for some reason, it felt like he had ton of weight on his body. . .

Yuki blinked one more time and the bright light disappeared. His surroundings were strange to him. It didn't even look like Japan anymore. He was laying on moist ground that had the most dark and fertile soil he had ever seen. The trunks of the trees by him weren't like the ones at home. These were super bulky and wide, like oak trees. Vines seemed to grow from the canopy of the trees and reach the ground. It seemed like the whole sky was hidden by tree tops.

Yuki finally realized why he couldn't breathe where he lay. The bodies of Kyo and Hatori were piled right on top of him. Yuki pushed and pulled his way out from under them and got on his feet.

He didn't realize how dizzy he was and almost stumbled over from weakness. His throat was dry and itchy too and his lungs burned. He had almost forgotten about his little ordeal with the flood and coughed loudly. Not being able to stand his ground for too long, he searched for a nearby tree to lean on it.

Soon enough, Hatori and Kyo simultaneously opened their eyes and got up. They too glanced at their environment with confused faces. Hatori felt something in his hand. He realized that he was still holding on to the book Tohru found. _"I thought I dropped it. . ." _he thought.

Kyo stretched his sore muscles and noticed that Yuki was gone. Hatori looked around, but it didn't take long to find him slouching on a tree. "Are you alright?" Hatori asked Kyo, just making sure he didn't have another cripple on his hands. "Yea," Kyo replied. He and Hatori rushed over to Yuki, who seemed to slouch lower. "Yuki," started Hatori. "Are you alright?" Hatori gave him a little shake on the shoulders.

Yuki just mumbled a low, unintelligent noise and lowered his head. Hatori and Kyo went to either side of him and put his arms around their shoulders, holding him steady. "Well," asked Kyo, "what now?" Hatori thought for a minute. They didn't even know where they were. "Well, first of all, we need to see if there is someone around here who can help us. If we don't get Yuki to a doctor soon, I don't think he'll make it."

They walked for a short while until they encountered a marvelous sight. Kyo stopped straight in his tracks with his mouth hanging open in amazement. Even Yuki forced himself to bring up his head to look at the sight before him.

It was a city. Probably the most beautiful they've ever seen. Everything seemed to be made of smooth marble and sandstone. Vines neatly surrounded the tallest tower and the front gate itself seemed to be made of silver. The way the buildings were arranged reminded them all of the towers of India. (This was weird because it looked like they were in the middle of the jungles of Africa)

Hatori and Kyo carried Yuki up to the front gates, where a guard met them there. All three boys just stood there staring at guard. Now they weren't even sure if they were still on Earth or not. This guard had the sleek face of a lioness, body of a female human, and legs and hooves of a deer. She also had golden wings on her back. The hooves were made of bronze and her clothes looked soft and silky, which showed off her every curve. Her dress covered the front of her chest but left her back and arms bare. The dress flowed down to her ankles. It almost made her look like a Greek.

Not only was she beautiful, she was intimidating. She was at least five inches taller than Hatori and her eyes were a vibrant, sparkling green that seemed to watch your every move. Most of all, she was holding a staff that had long, sharp spear tied to the end.

"Why are you here?" she said in a booming but feminine voice. "State your purpose."

"I'm sorry for intruding," apologized Hatori with the utmost respect. "We have been through a huge ordeal coming here and we need a place to stay the night. May I ask where we are?" The lioness guard lowered her staff, figuring that these men didn't mean any harm, though she was suspicious about the one with the orange hair . . .

"You are at the gates of the city, Radius. This whole area we live in is the land of Zodis. We can see to it that we can find you rooms for the night, just as you go through a series of examinations. Especially that one." She pointed to Kyo, who backed up a bit. "Why me?" asked Kyo, a little offended. "It is because you are the year of the cat, the corrupted spirit of our time. Because of the troubled times Earth faces today, most of the cat spirits have become angry and dangerous. Many of them have often tried to come into the city to do damage. For all I know, you could be one of them."

"But I'm not - - ," started Kyo, but Hatori stepped in. "It's okay Kyo, just do what she says. We don't want any trouble." They all stepped into the city and waited for instructions before they could go in. The guard took out a device that looked like a spy glass, except it was much bigger. The lens pointed toward the guard, making it look like a glass cup in a ring.

She first put the cupped side to Hatori's chest and waited. A green light shined between Hatori's chest and the spy glass. The guard moved to Yuki next, who looked like he was about to pass out. "Don't worry," said the guard. "As soon as I'm done, the wounded one will be taken to the pharmacy." Once again, the light shone green on Yuki's chest and the guard moved to Kyo's chest.

Kyo became a little hesitant but stayed right were he was. But instead of the light being green, it shined a dull red. The guard hissed and drew out her staff. "He's not welcome here. He is corrupt! He must either leave or be beheaded!" "Please don't!" pleaded Hatori. "He may seem like that sort, but he wouldn't hurt anyone! We can't just leave him! This thing said so!" He raised the book he was holding. "I'm sorry but this must be done, since you do not choose exile," said the guard calmly.

Suddenly, her eyes became dangerous with vengeance and she raised her staff, getting ready to strike. Kyo stood still, not knowing what to do. He was holding Yuki and he couldn't drop him. (Even if he wanted to.) Kyo just closed his eyes, waiting for the spear. "No! Stop!!" said a voice.

Kyo opened his eyes to find a girl running toward them. The guard stopped in her place and turned around. "Please," said the girl, "don't kill him! Queen's orders. He was supposed to come here." The guard wasn't sure but she lowered her staff. "Finally, you have arrived! We have been waiting for a long time. I'm sorry about the unwelcoming. We would have waited for you but we didn't know when you'd be here!" The girl looked out of breath but she was smiling all the same.

The three boys didn't really know what to say. "Oh, sorry!" said the girl, sheepishly. "Where are my manners? My name's Lorena. What are yours?" Hatori snapped out of his confused faze and answered. "Oh, my name is Hatori." He pointed out the other two. "This is Kyo and this is Yuki."

Kyo grunted with what was supposed to be a greeting. Yuki didn't reply at all. Lorena looked him, concerned. "Is he alright? He doesn't look well." "He's been out of it ever since we came here. It seems that we got stuck in flood and he hasn't recovered as well as Kyo and I have." "Oh yes. That happens sometimes when people come that way. Don't worry; all of them have improved well after that." "I hope it's not rude to ask but how did you know we were coming?"

"Don't you know? It's in the prophecy that a rat, a dragon, and a cat would come by water to our kingdom someday. It says so in that book we sent down. Didn't you read it?" "Well, we were a little busy trying to save our lives at the time," said Kyo sarcastically. Lorena chuckled a little. "Well, that wouldn't have worked anyway. You were supposed to die." "What?" "I'll explain later, but for now, we need to get this guy to the nurse A. S. A. P."

Yuki tried to keep his eyes open to find out what was going on but his eyesight was going out. He felt himself being moved while he rested his heavy eyes.


	6. Lorena

Chapter 6 – Lorena

"Come on sleepy head. Wake up! Geez, you're worse than I am!"

Yuki heard a voice. It sounded so familiar . . . He was finally capable of opening his eyes and looked upon the person standing over him. "Ah!" he cried out in shock. She was so close to his face that their noses were almost touching.

"Hehe, sorry!" said Lorena, blushing sheepishly. "I was worried that you had passed out on me again! I'm glad you're alright though. It took you three days to wake up!" Yuki sat up in the soft bed he was lying in. When taking a look at his surroundings, his eyes opened up in admiration. It was so beautiful.

The walls were tan with pure white carpet. Marble covered the ceiling and the windows were so huge. The bed he sat in felt like sitting on a thousand downy-pillows and the sheets were the softest silk. Where was he?

"Excuse me," he began politely," but, is your name Lorena by any chance?" Lorena giggled. "Ha ha! So you DO remember my name! You're not as oblivious as I thought. And you're cute too." Yuki blinked in confusion and blushed at the comment. It seemed like almost anywhere he went, someone said he was beautiful. How awkward.

"I-I was wondering . . . uh, where am I?" he asked suddenly, remembering everything at one time. "You're in my room!" Lorena said, smiling. "I-I am?" Yuki asked, his head spiraling downward. What was he doing in some strange girl's room? Was he kidnapped? Did . . . did she DO something to him?!?

"Don't worry," said Lorena, reading the concern on his face. "A couple of your friends brought you here. You were in pretty bad shape, ya know? After a trip to the nurse, I kept you here and nursed you back to health. And don't worry about your two friends, they're safe and sound!"

Yuki sighed with relief. He looked down at himself to find himself half naked. He had a huge wrapping of bandage around his bare chest, keeping him from wearing his shirt because of blood that would have bled through the wound. Still, he became self conscious and blushed furiously. Yuki got up and took a shirt that sat on a chair next to him and put it on.

"Tell me," began Lorena, the curiosity glowing from her face. "What sign are you really?" "Huh?" asked Yuki. "What sign?" "The Zodiac sign of course!" "Oh! That sign . . . well uh, I'm the rat. Why do you ask?" "Hmm, I'm the rat as well. I had to make sure because . . . well, I didn't want to address you wrong. But the dead give away is that you have those purple eyes. I also have the same ones."

Yuki looked into her eyes to see the same liquid purple that he owned. He became curious and dared to ask. "Do you have anything to do with the curse?" Lorena sighed. "Yep. All of us here do. Do you know where you even are?"

"T-that's what I want to know!" said Yuki, becoming impatient. "Where am I? What is this place?" "You're in the city Radius, just a small part of this whole world, Zodis. And it's not called Zodis for nothing!"

"Oh," said Yuki, realizing the reason, "because people here are curse just like us, right?" "Uh huh!" said Lorena, nodding. "This is the land of the deceased curse members." "Wait, when you say deceased, do you mean that we're . . .?" "Yep! Dead as a door nail!"

Yuki took a step back. "I'm . . . DEAD?!?!?" he yelled. "Yeah," said Lorena. "Did you really think you'd find a place like this on Earth? You really are oblivious." "But, that means . . . I can't get home." "Well, not exactly. There is a way for you and the other two. It was promised by the prophecy. If you guys complete your mission, then another portal will reverse the perishing process and send you guys home."

"What do we have to do then?" asked Yuki, listening intently. "That, I don't know," sighed Lorena. "Oh, I wish I knew! How exciting it must be! To save the whole universe from a death worse than fate! Geez, you're sooooo LUCKY!"

Yuki stared at her with a blank expression. "Wait. What do we have to do?" "The prophecy says that the heavens of Zodis have been in peril since the Zodiac god had been looking for something. Now, it's worse than usual, and the god's upset nature is making everyone nervous. One wrong move, and it's curtain call for us. You see, the god was unhappy for some reason and need someone to carry out the job for them. The god told its most trusted city to send the word to Earth and bring a courageous trio to Zodis and carry out the task. But if they don't succeed, the god's tears will fall and flood the Earth. Then the god's cold heart will freeze the tears and a new Ice Age will wipe out all life on that planet. As for us, well, we'll be forgotten and our way of life will die in an everlasting winter, where our crops will never flourish again and our wild life will die."

"But, everyone here is already dead," said Yuki, confused and flustered. "Well, not necessarily," said Lorena. "This is more like everyone's second life. After living out the rest of our life, we dissolve into the sky and become a new star, living in an eternal peace."

"Wow," sighed Yuki, "I never would have guessed that it would be me having to save the world one day. But, what can I do? I'm just a boy. And Hatori's only a doctor. And don't get me started on what Kyou is . . ." "You may not realize it, but you all have a very special power within you. It dwells in the heart. When it is called upon, it will come and defeat evil in anyway. I know this for I've seen myself. Only . . . the person in general didn't survive the last mission. He faded into the stars early . . ."

Yuki stared at her with a worried look, his eyes wide with surprise. Lorena noticed his sudden worry. "Oh, don't worry! You guys will do fine!" _"Her confidence isn't helping,"_ thought Yuki, shivering slightly. He decided to change the subject for now. Something had been bothering him anyway.

"Hey, remember when you said that you were part of the curse? How come my family and I didn't know about this? No one else in Japan had this problem." "Japan isn't the only place with the curse," said Lorena. "I come from Washington. My family has had this curse for generations." "Washington? Wow, I've never been to America before. It must have been nice." "Hehe, yeah it was cool. But I've never been to JAPAN before! That must be cool!" "Well, it just seems like your average town, I guess." "Could you teach me a little Japanese?" "Sure. Uh, what should I say?" "Mmm, say 'stupid cat'." "Ha ha, why's that?" "That's what you were muttering in your sleep." "Well, uh, Baka Neko." "Cool!"

Yuki continued to talk to Lorena, learning more and more about her and this world he was in now. Apparently, her leader of the family wasn't very kind either. She lived a rather good life and attended an all girl school where she met her best friend, who happened to know her secret. But she wouldn't tell the adults what she saw, for they feared their memories would be erased. They were inseparable.

But one question nagged at the back of Yuki's head. "I hope it isn't rude to ask, but it's been nagging at me. How did you come to be here? You know, what happened to you on Earth?" Lorena's eyes narrowed and her smile suppressed a bit. "I'm sorry if it's too personal!" Yuki said immediately. "I was just curious is all." Lorena smiled. "It's alright. It's natural for people to be curious about this sort of thing. But, I'm sorry to say that I can't answer your question. It really is too personal and I'd like to keep it to myself."

"I'm sure you miss your friend, huh?" asked Yuki, feeling sympathy for her. Lorena closed her eyes in thought. "Yeah, and the sad part is that I'll never see her again. But contact is not a loss." "It isn't?" "Nope! Here in Radius, we have an advanced system of message boards. Whenever a friend or relative prays to you, it gets recorded onto your message catcher. If it's a request for a sign that their prayer is heard, then a 3-D portion of the place their in will pop up on your screen. There, you can alter anything for a second and show your friend that you really are listening to their prayers. It's important to answer them, or else they stop praying."

"Do you think I could do that some time?" asked Yuki. "I've got a friend back home in Tokyo and I don't know how she's taking our loss." "Sure, that's what it's there for! In fact, I'll take you there myself. Your friends should be there soon as well. But right now, I have something to attend to. I'll show you around the city for a bit but then I gotta go. From there, I'll give you a map and you can find the Message Board yourself." "Okay! That sounds great."

Lorena smiled and left, giving Yuki some privacy. While Yuki changed into a fresh set of clothing, he looked forward to seeing the city. But most of all, he wanted to see if Tohru had be praying to them. She often did to her mother. Now that he knew that others could actually hear the prayer, he could tell Tohru that when he got back to Earth. If he did . . . But for now, he took comfort at the thought of seeing her face again. But was he prepared to see a face full of tears?

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Geez, it's been so long since I've updated this story! Sigh . . .


	7. The Message Board

**Now for a heartwarming chapter . . . . Lol, enjoy! **

Chapter 7 – The Message Board

Yuki stretched widely as he stood outside the building he came out of. Yuki couldn't help but gasp in admiration. The city around him was so beautiful and unique. The funny thing was that when he would die later on in life, he'd come back here. Not such a bad deal, after all.

The very air he was breathing smelled like lavender and the ground he walked on was soft to the touch. But the most amazing thing was the variety of people here. Everyone he saw had some sort of feature that reminded him of his own family.

Yuki assumed that the people with black and white hair, like Haru's, were oxen. Other people had bright blonde hair and spunky attitudes; the rabbits obviously. Some had dark green eyes and reserved emotions. Most of them were reading a book quietly or conversing with their peers. Yuki even spotted a couple of people with the same eyes as him. They had every year here!

Except, one year was hard to find. Yuki only spotted a handful of orange-haired men and women. He wondered why . . . . . . .

"Hey, Yuki," called out Lorena, waving a hand in front of his face. Yuki popped out of his phase and paid attention.

"Alright," she began, "I've got something to do and it might take me awhile. So, I'm going to give you a map that'll show you the way to the message room. I'll meet you in my room later, kay? If I'm not there, feel free to enter and wait. I'll be there in about an hour."

"Okay," said Yuki, eyeing the map that was handed to him. Once he took his eyes off the paper, he raised his head to thank Lorena, but she had already skipped away. She sure was fast.

The message board was all the way across the city from where Yuki was standing, so he decided to dally along as he journeyed to it. Looking around, he was greeted by people of all years. No one seemed to resent each other or fight. Even the rats and the cats were getting along reasonably. Seeing them treat each other with kindness made Yuki duck his head in shame. He couldn't remember a single time when he had been that nice to Kyo. Not that he'd ever try . . . .

Walking along the path laid out for him, Yuki began to discover new things about Zodis. It seemed to have everything for every year. There was a huge swimming pool for everybody. Most of the people in the pool were the dragon years and the dog years, while one or two cat years just stood at a distance, avoiding the possibility of getting wet.

The next attraction was a huge running track, which mostly held young, exuberant horse years. Other attractions came up as well, and Yuki became more and more mesmerized. Everyone seemed so happy. All except one.

Yuki stepped back as he felt himself bumping into something. Turned out, it was a little boy, who looked no older than five. The little boy shied away a bit from Yuki and hid behind a lamppost, still watch him large wary eyes.

Yuki bent down and held out his hand.

"It's alright," he cooed softly, "I'm not going to hurt you."

The little boy hesitated but came out and walked towards the strange tall figure before him. Yuki stood up as the boy came to him, almost regretting having ever called him. He wasn't used to talking with children, but it wasn't a first. Kisa was the only one he could relate to at this point.

The little boy came closer and shyly gripped the edge of Yuki's shirt with his tiny, quivering hand. He looked up at Yuki with big, light purple eyes, filled with liquid. Now Yuki had never really had a soft spot for kids but in this case, there was an exception. This little boy reminded him of himself when he was a child in the Sohma house. Alone and afraid, reaching out, hoping that someone would help him.

Yuki leveled down to the boy's height and looked him in the eyes, being able to read every thought.

"You're lonely, aren't you?" asked Yuki, sincerely. The little boy nodded, his lips quivering. "Are your parents here too?" The boy shook his head and fresh tears fell down his face.

_"Oh dear,"_ thought Yuki, saddening. _"He must have died young. I can't imagine how the parents must feel." _The boy wiped his eyes on his sleeve.

"Do you miss your mother and father?"

The boy sniffed and, to Yuki's surprise, shook his head. No? Then why was this boy crying? Maybe something else happened. But before Yuki could say anything else, the boy began to speak.

"I-I . . . . I don't know what happened. My mommy and daddy seemed so happy, and I . . . . I thought they . . . . . they loved me. Mommy always told me, 'Toby, you're my sunshine'. But she looked . . . . strange when she said it. She said . . . . she didn't like rats . . . . to daddy. Then he came in my room at night and I woke up. He told me to go back to s-sleep. Then . . . . . then I felt something sharp on my chest and . . . . . and . . . . . and I ended up coming here . . . . ."

Toby cried even harder into his sleeve and fell to his knees. Yuki grimaced in disgust. How could people do things like that? To their own children too . . . . Yuki rubbed the Toby's back slowly and tried to calm him down, but he only cried harder. Not being able to hold the distance between him and Toby, he held him in a tight hug. Apparently, Yuki wasn't the only one with problems with parents. It almost made him thankful that Akito had been there at the time. If not, what would his parents do with him till then?

Feeling Toby's pain, Yuki gritted his teeth, fighting the embarrassing tears that threatened to spill. It was just so . . . . sad. Disturbing . . . .

But then he remembered something.

"Toby," Yuki began, "You know, this really is a nice place. I think you'll find great friends here. I know it'll be hard at first, but you'll make. I just know you will."

Toby looked up at Yuki and dried his eyes. Yuki stood up and took Toby's hand in his. They walked together until Yuki spotted a nearby park full of kids that looked like Toby's age.

"Why don't you ask them if you can play?" asked Yuki.

Toby just gripped Yuki's shirt again, but tighter, and hid behind his legs.

"Don't be shy, Toby. You'll never know until you try."

Toby took a step forward and looked back at Yuki. Yuki motioned for him to go on and watched him slowly pace over to the other kids. Toby asked if he could play shyly. The other kids surrounded him and nodded cheerfully. Toby's face lit up with delight and joined in the game. After that, he never looked back.

Yuki smiled and ventured through his own memories. He saw the time when he had his friends at school. The first time anyone asked him to join in something. If their memories hadn't of been erased, what would it be like? Yuki quietly waved goodbye to Toby, even though he knew he couldn't see him. Yuki walked away to his destination, wondering about how the boys from his childhood were doing.

Toby, stopped for a second, looking back to thank the guy who helped him, but he was already gone . . . .

Yuki finally arrived at the message room, which was like any other building around the area. Except, the inside was quite a marvel. The whole inside of the building was crystal blue and had an effect on the walls and floors as if water were shining on it. The room was circular and rather large. Each space along the wall was covered by a silver basin fill with a cloudy liquid. Kyo and Hatori were already at one of them.

Yuki went over to them, thankful to see that neither of them were hurt. Well, Hatori anyway . . . . They seemed to be looking into the basin intently, and they didn't look to happy.

"What do you see?" Yuki asked Hatori, afraid to look in the basin himself.

"Look for yourself," said Hatori quietly, looking extremely serious.

Yuki bent over to look inside, only to find what he feared. Kyo, too, had a sad look on his face. He almost turned away.

Inside the image portrayed on the basin, Tohru was leaning her head in her arms on her bed, shaking from sobbing. Shigure, alongside with her, tried to comfort her. He, although, wasn't able to hold in his tears as well.

"Dammit," cursed Kyo. "If only we could tell them that we're okay. I hate to see her crying like this."

"I've never seen Shigure cry like this before," whispered Hatori. Was he really that important to Shigure? How was Ayame taking it? Was he crying too? Hatori closed his eyes. That was a gruesome image. Ayame never cried and it was rare for him to be upset about something. Seeing Aya be like that was depressing, no matter how much Hatori tried to ignore it.

Suddenly, something changed in the picture. Tohru ran outside, and the image in the basin followed her. Tohru looked up at the cloudy sky above her, the tears streaming down her face. She began to speak.

"I . . . . I can't believe it. I thought . . . . I thought we'd be together for . . . . for . . . . I thought . . . . You're all gone. I was so foolish to hang onto you guys. I should have known this was too good to be true. But, if you guys are out there somewhere, if you can hear me, please . . . . . . PLEASE . . . . . . give me a sign."

Kyo gritted his teeth and cursed again. "Dammit, dammit, DAMMIT!!!! I wanna say something!!"

Hatori sighed. "I know, I do too. But we can't so there's no use for yelling about it."

"Wait," said Yuki. "Look at the basin."

The basin's cloudy water began to swirl around and create a sphere with a 3-D image of the scene of Tohru. Even the clouds in the scene were visible. Tohru continued to look up at the sky and cry.

"I've heard about this from Lorena," said Yuki, smiling. "She said that answer sign requests when this happens. We can tell Ms. Honda that we're listening to her!"

"Yeah, but HOW?" asked Kyo, impatiently.

"Um, I don't know. Lorena didn't tell me how. She just said that we could alter something briefly to give the sign. But I don't know what she meant."

Hatori scratched at his chin for a moment. Then his eyes opened up in thought. "Why don't we try the clouds in the image?" he decided.

"What?" asked Kyo, disbelieving. "That won't work. It's impossible!"

"Well, we thought this place was impossible," said Yuki, reasoning. "We might as well give it a try. How about we draw our zodiac year in the clouds? Maybe she'll recognize it. I'll draw a rat's head, you can draw a cat's head, and Hatori can draw a seahorse."

Just like that, the three boys took their first fingers and began to carve shapes into the imaged clouds in the basin's 3-D scene. Amazingly it worked and caught Tohru's attention. Yuki, Kyo, and Hatori watched closely.

Tohru's mouth hung open in shock. She smiled widely and ran back into the house. Moments later, she came back out, pulling Shigure with her by the hand.

"Look Shigure! Look!" she cried with joy. "I prayed to them not too long ago and then this showed up! I know it's them, I know it!"

"Well my word . . . . ." said Shigure, his eyes wide. "Maybe you're right. Oh, but it's probably just a coincidence."

"But it's them. I just KNOW it is!"

Shigure just eyed the sky, his eyes growing misty. He couldn't help but to wonder. "H-Hari?"

Hatori felt his eyes water a bit. It had seemed so long since he had heard his pal's voice again. It pained him to watch this, so he slowly turned away and cleared his throat.

The drawings in the sky weren't holding up and the clouds were beginning to close in.

"We better get inside, Tohru," said Shigure. "It looks like it's going to rain again."

"Okay," Tohru said sadly. "But, maybe if we get up early enough, we can see the pictures again!"

"Heh heh, alright, we'll check again tomorrow." Shigure let Tohru go ahead but he stopped in tracks for a second. He turned around and faced the sky again with a somnolent look full of worry. He gave a faint smile and went inside the house.

After that, the 3-D image settled back into the basin and turned back into the colorless liquid from before. Yuki, Kyo, and Hatori just stood there without another word. They all walked out the building with one thing on their minds. They had to find way to solve this mission. They had to save Tohru and the others no matter what. But most of all, they had to stay alive if they were ever see her again. At least she still had faith . . . . .

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**Lol I hope u enjoyed this. Sorry it took so long. I was in the middle of writer's block. . **


	8. The Three Gifts

**Wow . . . took me awhile to update this story. Sorry bout that. :)**

Chapter 8 – The Three Gifts

Yuki, Kyo, and Hatori walked back over to Lorena's home, not knowing what else to do. Yuki opened up a window, letting the soft smelling air enter the room. Hatori pulled up a chair while Kyo leaned against the wall.

"Well," he began, "what now?"

"We have to wait for Lorena to get back," said Yuki, sitting on the side of her bed. He gazed at the book that lay on the side table. He took it and flipped through the pages, trying to find if anything new had come up. The only thing there was the last thing they saw in it before they had been taken away from Japan. He decided to flip back to the beginning to see if they skipped anything.

"Wait," said Yuki, "I don't think we read this part."

Hatori and Kyo went next to Yuki to read the book. It said: Your mission will be a difficult one. Stay by each other's side and do not be upheld by grief or jealousy. Remember your mission to serve the God well, and you will go far. Look for the land covered in crystal and find the sacred medicine that will heal. It speaks, so listen carefully . . .

"It speaks?" wondered Kyo.

"That's what it says," said Yuki.

"Hey guys, I'm back," said Lorena, coming through the door to her room. "How was the message room?"

"It went well," said Hatori.

"I got a message from the city center. The head priest wants you to prepare for your journey. I don't know when you're leaving so . . ."

"The sooner the better. We have a lot to do."

"How bout tomorrow?" asked Kyo, stretching lazily.

"Tomorrow?" questioned Yuki. "We just got here!"

"Tomorrow would be good," said Hatori.

"Cool," said Lorena, smiling. "Also, the head priest wants to give you gifts for your journey. He says that it's really important."

"Okay, when do we get them?" asked Yuki.

"Tomorrow, when you leave out of the city's back gates. And don't worry about getting lost or anything. I'm going with you for awhile, just to be sure that I can take you out of this area. I'll even take you to see the phoenixes out here."

"Sounds nice," Yuki said gently, suppressing a yawn.

"First things first, you guys need to rest for the big day tomorrow."

Kyo woke up from his slumber and looked to his sides. Hatori and Yuki were still fast asleep. It was already morning, though it felt like one of those fifteen minute naps. Kyo wiped the sleep out of his eyes and stretched. He went into the guest house's bathroom to freshen up. After finishing, he attempted to wake up Hatori.

"Hatori," said Kyo, sleepily, "wake up that damn Yuki, will ya?"

"You do it yourself," said Hatori, rubbing his eyes and shuffling his hair. Kyo scowled but was too sleepy to put up much of a fight. He nudged Yuki in the side and took a step back. Nothing happened. Kyo tried again and Yuki grabbed his ankle and swung him to the ground.

"DAMMIT!! I HATE WAKING YOU UP!!" yelled Kyo.

"Then don't do it," claimed Yuki.

"Hurry up," said Hatori, going into the second bathroom down the hall. "We're going to be late if you two keep bickering."

Yuki got up and swayed a little. After gaining his balance, he went into a bathroom and bathed. Kyo went to the kitchen and looked in the fridge. No milk. No fish. No rice. No nothing.

Kyo's stomach growled loudly.

"Geez, no food? And they say they have quality rooms and service. Yeah right."

"It's only because we were staying for a day," replied Hatori. "They knew we were coming and going, so food wasn't necessary. Besides, we can get something to eat somewhere else."

"I'm hungry now!"

"Well, you're going to have to wait. I don't even know if spirits even eat."

Yuki came out of the bathroom in fresh clothing. He gave the Zodiac book to Hatori.

"Well . . . are we going?" asked Yuki.  
Hatori got up.

"I guess we are."

All three boys arrived outside the front door to their guest house. Everyone seemed to be walking towards the back gate in a hurry. They decided to do the same.

Once there, Kyo and Yuki's mouths gaped open. There were hundreds of people of all kinds waiting by the gate. They were all waiting for them, apparently. When the three boys were spotted, the crowd cheered.

"Ah, hell no," sighed Kyo, turning around. Hatori grabbed the back of his shirt and dragged him over to the back gate. The high priest greeted them.

"Good morning, young travelers," he said pleasantly. "We will wish you well on your journey, but first, the council and I have gifts for you."

A young boy with black and white hair held a box and gave it to the priest. He opened it and pulled out something.

"Young dragon, come here."

Hatori came up in front of the priest. He was handed a smooth, long red stone. It had what looked like orange marble swirls in it. Every time it was moved around, the inside swished like water.

"This is an Inferno Stone," said the priest. "If you wish to have the powerful breath of the privileged dragon during your trials, swallow this stone with your food. You may experience stomach discomfort for three days. You will know that the job is done when you pass the stone with your stool."

Yuki and Kyo exchanged looks of disgust. Hatori awkwardly thanked the priest and stepped away with a confused look.

"I now call over the spirited cat to come forth."

Kyo stepped up, trying to ignore the awed stares of the people below. The priest took out a diamond shaped crystal the size of his thumb nail. It was silver with lines of speckled quartz. It hissed and smoked slightly in his hand.

"This," began the priest, "is a Lunar Stem, taken from the deepest depths of the far away crystal caves. Treasure it, for this only can be found every once in a blue moon."

"What's it do?" asked Kyo, impatiently.

"This, my boy, is a transformation gem. It will transform your zodiac into a bigger and scarier form. You can only use this once, so use it at the right time. Whenever you're in trouble or surrounded by an enemy that you cannot handle, make an open flesh wound on anywhere in your body and force the crystal into the cut. Then the whole process will take place. It can last for as long as you need it, and will turn you back to yourself when the danger is gone. Careful though . . . it will exhaust you greatly."

Kyo walked off and stuffed the crystal carefully into his pocket. The priest continued on.

"Lastly, but not least, I call up the responsible rat."

Yuki walked up and gulped, afraid of what he'd get. The priest pulled out a chain link necklace made of an off-white substance that looked flexible and strong. Hooked to the chain was an emblem made of light gold, with a carving of a bird in the middle.

"This is our one and only Aspiration Eater. Its chain is made of phoenix bone and the emblem is pure gold. This is a special necklace indeed. During your journey, you will definitely feel several feelings such as hate, jealousy, depression, happiness, sadness, and many other conflicting feelings. Aspiration Eater will grow heavy when you feel a bad feeling. It will grow light when you are experiencing a happy feeling. How light or heavy it is depends on your emotions. This may make it hard to carry, but it will be worth it in the end. As you continue to wear it, it will consume or 'eat' your emotion energy to get stronger. When the time is right, it will unleash that energy to help you in a dire situation. Keep it to yourself and let no one else wear it."

Yuki took the necklace and anxiously put it on. It felt slightly heavier than when he held it. Yuki went to the others and sighed. The priest turned to the crowd and shouted.

"Our heroes are well on their way! We shall pray and wish them luck on their treacherous trip! Good luck, Hatori, Yuki, and Kyo!"

The crowd cheered loudly as the three boys left through the back gate. Lorena was waiting for them, holding three bags full of supplies and holding one on her back.

"Well, let's go!" she said cheerfully.

"This is going to be a LONG walk," Yuki said to himself.


	9. Phoenix Ranch

**Hope you like this chapter! **

Chapter 9 –Phoenix Ranch

Yuki held his necklace's amulet in hand, eyeing the creative craftsman ship. It felt slightly heavy on his neck, but it was barely noticeable.

Kyo's stomach growled in the distance, making Lorena squirm.

"What was that?" she asked, turning around to the three boys.

All of them stared at Kyo.

" . . . What?" he asked. "I'm . . . I'm hungry."

Hatori felt his stomach rumble as well.

"I guess I'm a little hungry as well."

Lorena nodded and led throughout the crowded forest walkway, leading them to a large building. It was covered in old dark green vines and it had several large stalls behind it. In between the building and the stalls was a medium sized field, hidden within the forest as the only clear selected piece of land. A few large birds with large drooping tail feathers and large wings stood around.

"What are those things?" asked Kyou, afraid to get close.

"Why, they're phoenixes!" claimed Lorena. "Haven't you seen one before in picture books and stuff?"

"Yeah, but I pictured them a lot . . . . smaller."

"Well, here, in reality, they're much bigger. They can't breathe fire but they do burst into flames when they die of old age, creating a new life within their ashes. Amazing creatures aren't they?"

Yuki nodded and smiled at the chirping birds on the field. He gazed the vine covered building.

"Say, Lorena . . . do you work here?"

"Yep!" she answered happily. "I help care for the phoenixes while the owners of the plantation are away. You see, we breed these birds for the good of the spirit world. Phoenixes are just a few of the creatures here that fuel our world and provide it with energy. We would try to breed dragons, but they'd be rather appalled if we suggested the idea to them. They would try and tell us how they're not 'animals'."

"Wait," started Hatori. "You say you have . . . dragons?"

"Yep! We have three kinds. The Earthly Ones live on the Rocky Caves to the east, the Fluidly Ones live anywhere there is a vast ocean of water, and the Flame Ones . . . well, I rather not say."

Hatori gulped. The thought of dragons scared him. Sure, he was year of the dragon himself, but he only turned into a puny seahorse. The impression he was getting on the attitudes of these dragons told him that they wouldn't just sit and laugh if they saw him in his embarrassing form.

"Follow me into the ranch," said Lorena, opening the vine building's front door. "I'll get you guys some fresh fruit and take you out for a while."

Once inside the building, Yuki, Kyo, and Hatori took a seat in a few nearby chairs, enjoying the warmth of the lit up fireplace. The interior was rather inviting for a ranch. The walls were made of a strange colored wood from the trees outside and the floor was a soft carpet like material. The lighting flickered in and out like candles. It was almost like a cabin, except much more foreign.

Lorena came around with three identical red fruits. She sat by the three boys and sighed.

"Sorry fellas, but this was all the fruit I could find. It's not bad, once you get used to it. It's a Yukos Fruit from the Yukos Islands. Just eat it slowly, kay?"

Hatori, Kyo, and Yuki took the fruit cautiously. Each person took a bite into it. Hatori's mouth puckered up, Kyo's eyes watered, and Yuki made an interesting face.

"What are these?" asked Yuki, eyeing the inside of his fruit.

"They're one of the most undesired fruits in the whole spiritual world. Just for that, we never run out of them. My friends like them for some reason, so they always have a couple around. These fruits give a different affect to everyone, depending on your taste buds. Some are sour, some are spicy, some are metallic . . . you get the picture. But here's the trick. After you take a bite and wait while you chew, the taste will change."

Yuki waited awhile for the strange taste to be replaced by a sweet, tangy flavor. Hatori and Kyo experienced the same. Being able to handle the beginning tastes, all three of them slowly and surely finished their small but filling meal. Lorena munched on a leftover fish sandwich she had in her pack.

"Hey, you guys wanna see the ranch?" she asked, swallowing her last piece. All three boys nodded as they let their stomachs start to digest the strange fruit. Lorena stopped in her spot and laughed a little.

"What's so funny?" asked Kyo, getting annoyed by her giggles.

"I forgot to tell you the after affect of the fruit," Lorena chuckled. "The Yukos fruit makes you pee in different colors."

Hatori, Yuki, and Kyo stood shell shocked with their faces red while Lorena smiled at them apologetically.

"So . . . . to the ranch then?"

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It was strange, being on a clear, grassy field that was surrounded by forest trees as high as the eye could see. It messed with Kyo's sense of direction. He and the others walked out to the field and stopped short while Lorena walked over to a phoenix.

"Don't worry," said Lorena. "She won't bite."

Yuki went first, and then was followed by the two others. He stretched out his hand hesitantly and pet the large, horse-sized bird on the roof of its large beak. It closed its eyes, enjoying the petting. Hatori pet its chest gingerly and felt its strong rough feathers beneath his fingers. Kyo stood on the side lines, not daring to go near the creature.

"Come on, Kyo," said Lorena. "You don't have to worry about a thing. I tamed this one myself."

"Don't mind him," sighed Yuki. "He just has a weakness for things larger than his head."

"Hey, shut up ya damn rat!" yelled Kyo. "I can go up to the bird if I wanna! I just don't feel like it."

"Too late," said Hatori. "Looks like she's coming to you."

Kyo shivered a little as he saw the large phoenix trot over to him. It pecked at his shirt and tried to like his cheek. Kyo tried to push it away, but gently so that he wouldn't agitate it.

"Eff . . . knock it off . . ." he complained. "I'm not your lover or anything!"

"Aww, looks like she made a new friend," teased Lorena, cheerfully.

"I'm not her friend! I don't even KNOW her."

"Come on, just pet her. She'll get upset if you don't."

" . . . . Upset? . . . . . W-What will she do?"

"She'll follow you around until you give her what she wants. Man, I shouldn't have spoiled her so much, ha ha!"

Kyo stepped away a couple steps and waited. The phoenix followed him quickly and began to nudge him in the stomach. Kyo began to run away while the large bird ran after him.

Lorena giggled. Yuki and Hatori watched silently, being obviously entertained. Kyo eventually ran out of breath and got clobbered by the bird. He lay on the ground, moaning in disgust as he tried to shield his face from the phoenix's curious licks and sniffs.

"Ahhh!" Kyo yelled suddenly. "Get her off! Get her off! Whoa. Whoa! HEY! Stop that!!"

The bird moved her beak lower and sniffed some more, trying to memorize Kyo's scent. Kyo twitched slightly as he felt an uncomfortable sensation near his navel.

"Lorena, seriously, get this thing OFF ME!!"

Lorena came around and watched a little. Kyo tried to squirm away, but his efforts were in vain. The bird continued to sniff in the same spot.

"Come on, really!" whimpered Kyo. "She's . . . she's sniffing my crotch . . ."

"Oh come on, it's not that bad," sighed Lorena, rolling her eyes. "She's only trying to get your scent. Nothing personal."

"Yeah, but I'M A GUY. SO IT'S PERSONAL."

"Ha ha, alright, alright. Come on, Shingles, that's enough. We don't wanna give him a boner now, do we?"

Kyo blushed and looked down at himself, just to check. Lorena led the phoenix away while he brushed himself off.

"Shingles . . ." claimed Yuki. "Is that her name?"

"Uh huh!" said Lorena, putting Shingles away in her stall. "I named her that because she loves the sound of clinking metal. It's really weird."

"Hmmm, I see."

"So Lorena . . ." started Hatori, "if you claim to have these type of creatures here, why don't you see very many of them?"

"Well," she started, "when this world was first created by the Zodiac god, it was full of animal life. They were what gave this world its power and energy. As humans came here, we harnessed that energy to light our paths and homes. It didn't hurt the animals at all, and we were provided with a steady source of energy. But soon, people realized that if they killed the creatures, they could use the rare items they got from them to make new and incredible magic. But it was against the rules of the god to kill her creatures for anything but food and clothing. She punishes those who don't obey her, but it hasn't been enough."

"Is that why the god is so angry and sickened?"

" . . . Partly. It's just the fact that all her zodiac animal people have turned against her, and that in turn, makes her rather upset and lonely. She needs us to be here for her and to obey her. She created us cursed ones mainly for her companion ship."

"Sounds a lot like our head of the house back home," sighed Yuki.

"Yeah . . . . . I can't imagine how terrible it is, feeling the god's pain every single day, feeling that you don't get treated the way you should."

" . . . . . . It seems like this god of ours should learn to think of others for once . . . ."

**The next story I'm going to update will be posted on my news letter in my profile, so look out for it! - dragondustbubblez**


	10. Canyon's Separation

Chapter 10 – Canyon's Separation

Once Lorena came back from the back of the cabin's lounge, she gave a pack of Yukos Fruits to each boy. She led them outside the building, locked the front door, and continued to lead the boys throughout the vast forest.

"I haven't been on a journey in a long time!" Lorena cried happily. "Lucky you three came along. I thought I'd sit at home and rot for the rest of my stay here!"

"Why didn't you just go on a trip yourself?" asked Kyo. "It's not like anybody's stoppin' ya."

"Well, you see, because of the wellbeing of the Zodiac god, things haven't exactly been . . . . safe lately. You know, it's just better to go with a buddy, just in case something happens."

" . . . . L-Like what?" Yuki asked.

"Well," Lorena began, "let's just say that the spirited ones, like you and I, aren't as friendly as they used to be. There's been a huge fight for natural resources, even though there's plenty to go around. And the claim for more space has been atrocious."

"I thought this place was never ending."

"Well, it's not exactly heaven or hell. Those places are never ending. This place, however, isn't. It's only a 'purgatory', if you know what I mean. Like a waiting list, since there are so many cursed souls that need to be sorted out. And with the Zodiac god being too sick and upset to be on that job, the space we have here has been getting smaller and smaller. Since no one is moving out, and more people are coming in, we are all fighting for more space."

"I see . . . . So, if we figure out why the god is so upset, then we can get him, or her, to start sorting souls again."

"Exactly."

"Wow . . . . . You really are depending on us, aren't you?"

"I hope you don't mind, but the god says that you guys are the ones to do it."

Yuki looked to the ground in thought. What could he, Hatori, or Kyo have that the god may want?

"Here's a hint though," Lorena said suddenly. "The Zodiac god is known to be a very envious being. You may have something that it may want."

All three boys looked at her curiously.

"But you didn't hear that from me, kay?" Lorena added, pressing a finger to her lips, telling them to keep her words locked tight.

The boys nodded in understanding. Lorena went on ahead, cheerfully as always. Kyo looked at her with disgust.

"How could you be so happy?" he asked. "If we fail, you die. You realize that more than we do."

"But I know that you guys won't fail," she replied.

"But . . ."

"I just know."

Kyo kept his mouth shut and looked away with a hidden worry, not only for him, but for her. She looked so confident about it all, yet, she didn't seem to consider the possible outcomes. Surely, it would hurt her to find out that they didn't make it after all.

Lorena stopped short and sighed.

"Okay, who else has to take a leak?"

All three boys raised their hands in agreement.

"Okay then," she replied. "You guys grab a tree while I grab a bush nearby. No peaking, kay?"

"Wait a minute," started Yuki. "Don't you want us to wait while you . . ."

Lorena was deep into the bushes on the west side of the road before he could finish his sentence. He sighed and shrugged.

"I'll go this way," Yuki said, finding a far away tree to the north. Hatori went to the east, and Kyo went to the south.

A few moments later, all the boys came out of the flora with weird expressions. Lorena laughed.

"I almost forgot. You guys ate Yukos fruit earlier. So, what color did it come out as?"

"Green," said Kyo, grimacing.

"Blue," Yuki said as well.

Hatori replied after a moment of hiding his face.

" . . . Purple."

Lorena giggled, but tried to hide the rest of her laugh, just to save Hatori what dignity he had left.

"All right, let's continue," Lorena concluded.

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After about an hour of walking, Lorena pushed past a couple hanging vines, revealing an old looking machine. Yuki and Hatori sat down on a few nearby rocks to rest their legs, while Kyo stayed up, showing that he obviously wasn't tired.

"Well, here's where I leave you," Lorena said sadly.

"Leave us?" Yuki asked. "But . . . but you just brought us here. Now you're going?"

"I have to. This is as far as I will go. Beyond here is not safe."

"Oh, THAT'S real comforting, considering you know this place," scowled Kyo.

"I would come, if I could you know," Lorena sighed. "But . . . . I-I can't. It's not my place to go. The Zodiac god wants you guys to go out there in the wild, not me. If I go with you, who knows how that'll affect the mission."

"But you're the only one who can help us!"

"You have the book. That's all you need as a guide. It'll tell you everything."

"Oh come ON. It's a freakin' encyclopedia! I ain't gonna tell us JACK!"

"TRUST me on this one. It WILL. If I go with you, there will be consequences. That's all I can say."

"Then how come you can't tell us anymore?" asked Hatori, becoming suspicious.

"Because I don't know anything else!!!!" Lorena yelled. " . . . Look, guys, I would help you if I could, but all I was told was to bring you here. I don't know what else to do. All I know is that if I go any further than here, then this whole process will be broken."

"Is there anything else you can do?"

" . . . . I can give you a couple hints for the road . . . but that's it."

" . . . . . . . Then . . . we hope to hear from you soon . . . if possible," concluded Yuki. Lorena expelled a soft breath and looked away sadly.

"I wish I could help," she said. "I really do! But . . . . . . ."

She gave all three boys a long look and smiled.

"All I know is that you guys are going to make it. That's all I'm rooting for. Just . . . make me proud, okay?"

Lorena went up to Yuki and, unexpectedly, gave him a long embrace. She did the same for Hatori and Kyo, ignoring their grunts of protest.

"Now here are your few hints," she added. "Hint number one: This machine here, you power it by turning the lever ten times. That should be enough to get you across the canyon. No more, no less. Hint number two: Do whatever the guards tell you to do in the upcoming town. Trust me, they mean well, even if it seems crazy. (Mostly because they are crazy, but hey, they're SAFE.) Hint number three: After leaving that town, refer only to your book. Don't listen to anybody else unless it's accepted by the book. If the book doesn't say anything, listen to your instincts. In this world, they'll most likely be correct."

All three boys nodded. Lorena sighed and gave a bright smile. She turned around and headed for her home city, making sure to look back and wave at the others. They waved back as well.

"I still don't get it," Kyo said. "Why is she so . . . so happy?"

"She probably doesn't have much of a choice," Yuki answered.

Kyo looked back at Lorena's disappearing figure, wondering what her face looked like now, considering that she was no longer facing them.

"Well, we're not gonna get out of here by just standing around," Hatori said. "Let's see what we can do about this lever."

Hatori went up to the strange contraption and looked around its vine covered base. Kyo scoffed.

"I betcha that there actually ain't a lever."

"Oh, it's around here somewhere," Hatori muffled. "It's probably behind all these plants. I'm just worried that this thing is too old to work."

"Well, if Lorena said it works . . ."

"Oh my GOD, you still care about what she says?" Kyo yelled. "She freakin' ditched us!! I can't believe you still trust her."

"Well, who else do we have to trust? The book?!"

"Hey, hey!" called out Hatori. "Settle down. Fighting isn't gonna solve anything right now. Besides, I need some assistance."

Yuki went up to him and helped remove a few of the large, dark-green vines that blocked their way. Behind the vines was a rusty looking lever that was longer than Hatori's arm.

"Well, we found it," Yuki said. "We turn it . . . . ten times, right?"

"Yeah," Hatori confirmed.

He grabbed the lever and pushed down on it with great difficulty. He motioned for Yuki's help and then, the both of them began to move it a bit more. They still needed help, though.

"Stupid cat, can't you see we need help?" scowled Yuki, his eyes squeezed shut from all the effort he was putting into moving the lever.

"Look, I didn't get no invitation, so SHUT UP!" yelled Kyo, who went over to help anyway. He combined his effort with theirs and, eventually, the lever was turned ten times.

"Now what?" Kyo asked in agitation. "Where's the thing that's supposed ta get us across the canyon?"

"Over here," called Hatori. He stood by a wooden box that looked like it hadn't been touched in ages. Yuki and Kyo both gulped.

"You expect me to get into THAT?" Kyo scoffed.

"Have any BETTER ideas, Einstein?" Yuki scowled.

"Shut up, ya damn rat," Kyo said through gritted teeth.

Kyo jumped into the carrier first, placing his elbows on the edge the box, resting his cheek in his palm, and looking down at the canyon. Hatori went in next, being followed by Yuki. They closed the door and waited.

Nothing was happening.

"Maybe it needs a push . . ." Yuki said. "You know, since it's so old."

"Who's gonna do it, though?" asked Kyo. "Not me."

"Let's just wait," claimed Hatori. "It'll move on its own. The instructions by the lever say that it's supposed to start on it's own in a bit."

Kyo growled, but sat against the walls of the box, trying to wait patiently.

After ten minutes, he couldn't take it any longer.

"Dammit! This is taking too long! Stupid lever!"

He found a medium sized rock on the bottom of the wooden box's floor. He picked it up and aimed to chuck it at the lever. Yuki hit him in the head.

"Are you STUPID? You could break the lever!"

"Like I care!" Kyo yelled in frustration. Before Hatori or Yuki could stop him, Kyo threw the rock at the lever, hitting it right on the edge. It began to unwind quickly.

A sharp jerk hit the box and soon it uplifted from the ground, knocking all three boys back and onto the box's floor. Within a few quick and quirky seconds, the box was at the other side. The door opened, releasing the boys onto the ground in a jumbled mess.

Both Yuki and Hatori gave Kyo a sour look.

"Look, I got it to go, didn't I?" Kyo sighed.

"You are SUCH an idiot," Yuki growled. "Who KNOWS what could have happened! You could have killed us!"

"Oh boohoo! Quit your bawling and get off of me."

Yuki stumbled off of Kyo, making sure to "not" be careful of where he was stepping. Hatori sighed, thankful that he was at least out of the old wooden carrier.

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**Well, I hope you enjoyed that chapter! Next up, I'm hoping to update a few more stories before vacation is over. Good News: I'm getting my inspiration for this story back, so expect it to be upgraded with longer chapters now. ^^ **


	11. Three Fruits

Chapter 11 – Three Fruits

The ground grew harder this way as the three gentlemen walked along. The forest grew deeper and a misty fog drifted over the ground. Small lights flickered in and out everywhere they looked.

"Are these fireflies?" asked Yuki.

"I assume so," replied Hatori, sitting down on a nearby rock to rest.

Kyou grimaced at one light, which kept hitting him in the face. Yuki poked one with the tip of his finger. The light blinked and flew away quickly.

"Strange . . . they don't feel like bugs," Yuki added.

"That's because they're not bugs," answered a strange voice.

Hatori looked around cautiously, picking the Zodiac book up just in case they had to move on. Kyou looked around, grumbling. Whoever spoke didn't show himself. But it spoke again.

"Turn around."

Kyou and the others changed direction and faced what looked like another huge gate. But this one was made of metal. Vines covered it from top to bottom and it creaked noisily like old iron. Two lamp posts, containing oil and fire, lit the entry way. Two human guards, both very tall and very thin, stood at the gate. Both had on long, gray cloaks and leather gloves.

"Welcome strangers," said one guard. "You come to seek shelter? And replenishment, I assume?"

"Well, yes," Hatori stated. "We're travelers, and we need more supplies."

"Well, I'm afraid I can't let you in until you give us something first."

Kyou eyed the second guard, who stood as still as a statue and as quiet as one too.

"Can't talk, huh?" Kyou said rudely.

The first guard intervened.

"He can. He just doesn't want to talk to you."

"Why the hell not?"

"He has his reasons. Of which he'll never tell me or you."

"I'm sorry for interrupting, but . . . what exactly do you want us to give you?" Yuki asked, scratching his head.

"The three forbidden fruits of the forest around you. Each one will be difficult to claim. I need all three of you to find the fruits, harvest them, and bring them back in one piece. Find the best ones possible."

"And what are these so called fruits?" Hatori asked skeptically.

The guard pulled out an old, tattered scroll and gave it to the three guys. It showed three sketches of unique fruits.

One fruit was shaped like an oval and it had pores which oozed a weird looking substance. The second was shaped like a curvy cylinder, and it was covered in fire. The third fruit was purple and had a natural fruit shape.

"Find these fruits and bring them back. Only then will you be let in to Wingslur."

"Wingslur?" Kyou inquired. "What kind of a name is that?"

The guard said nothing and stared at Kyou. Kyou stared back, feeling a bit frightened by the guard's piercing gaze. Suddenly the two guards took a step back and melted into the stone walls that held the iron gate steady. After that, they were nowhere to be found.

"Well, I guess we better get going then," Yuki said. " . . . Kyou, move. Don't think just because you're the smart-ass that you don't have to help out too."

"I'm checking something out here! Hold your horses, ya damn rat!"

"Suit yourself."

Kyou walked up to the iron gate. He thought for a moment.

_"Wonder if I can get in without the fruit . . ."_

"Kyou, I wouldn't do that if I were . . ." Hatori started

Not hearing Hatori's words of wisdom, Kyou tried to open the gate, but retracted away from and fell on his rear. He leaned over holding his hands with his eyes squeezed shut.

"Dammit, dammit, dammit!" he yelled.

Hatori rushed over and examined Kyou's hurt hands. They were badly burnt, but not completely soiled.

"That's what happens when you don't listen, stupid cat," Yuki chimed.

" . . . Shut up, I knew what I was doing," Kyou said, with a terrible temper.

Hatori led the way, taking up one of the oil fires from near the wall.

"I'll return this when we get back. It's getting dark and we'll need light."

"Hey, how come YOU didn't get burnt?!" Kyou challenged.

"Because it wasn't my intention to break in."

Yuki shook his head at Kyou and continued on, his head pounding. That cat was really getting on his nerves. He couldn't understand why he had to be so despicable all the time. If it wasn't for his self control, he'd knock his block off.

Hatori pit stopped at a fork in the forest road. There were three ways to go. One way was the way they came, another was a road that led down a lighter and more open part of the forest. The third led down a dark and old pathway covered in spiderwebs.

"Oh hell, who's going in there?" asked Kyou, pointing at the third road.

"I figure neither of you are willing to, so I'll go," Hatori advised. "Yuki, you take the brighter road, and Kyou, you go down the road we came from."

"But Hatori, we don't have any light," Yuki added. "I may be taking the lighter road, but it's still dark out."

"Quit your bawling," Kyou complained.

Hatori set the oil lamp down and searched the ground for fallen branches. After finding two suitable ones, he dipped the edges in oil and set them aflame as well.

"Here," he said, in annoyance. "Anything else?"

Yuki shook his head and accepted the stick of fire. Kyou did the same and immediately went down the road.

"Wait! Kyou! You have to . . ." started Yuki.

"I know what the fruits looks like. Sheesh," Kyou said from afar.

"Well, I guess I'll be on my way as well. Good luck."

Hatori didn't reply and headed into the darker part of the woods. Yuki looked at him strangely and went down the lighter path.

Kyou walked down the misty path, holding out his fire stick in front of him. He was finally way from that damn Yuki and that boring Hatori. He could be alone and do things his own way. Not that he expected to succeed, but it was just better this way for him. The little balls of light came back into view again, and drifted in and out of the air. Kyou stopped and sighed.

"Damn . . . I gotta pee again."

The Yukos fruit from earlier still hadn't passed his system. He stuck the pointy end of his fire stick firmly into the ground, and found a nearby bush. While relieving himself, he looked around. There wasn't a single fruit in sight. Not even a single cherry.

How the hell was he supposed to find a fruit. What was worse was he didn't know which of the three fruits was around here.

Hatori was a ways away from the forked part of the road. His road got darker and darker as he went along. Occasionally, a stray plant would hit him somewhere on his body, and due to the darkness, it truly made him fear the worst. A sound would come out of nowhere, and he'd jump a little.

"Where is it?" he'd ask himself. " . . . Show yourself."

Something slimy slithered on his foot, leaving a questionable stench. Hatori took a step back and ended up stepping on something. It too was long and slimy. When he stepped on it, it squealed and slid from under him. Hatori shouted out of surprise and lost his balance, falling in the wet, soggy ground below. He let go of the oil lamp, and couldn't see. All he heard a few seconds later was the sizzle of a dead fire.

Yuki walked along, finding that he didn't need the stick of fire. The area was calm and bright, and sounds of frogs and other strange animals sounded off. Still, not wanting to risk anything, he kept the fire stick by his side, and never let go of it.

After pushing through some thick bushes that stood in the way of the road, he almost found himself falling into a large pond. Yuki stared in awe as the moonlight touched the calm, flowing water. Along the banks of the river were small bushes, each one holding a fruit.

"There they are," Yuki sighed. "I wonder which one it is."

Yuki walked along the bank, his feet sloshing in the white pond water. He came near a fruit and bent over to pick it up. It immediately burst into flames.

Yuki retracted his hand just in time, before falling back in shock. He landed in the shallow end of the pond, soaking his pants from top to bottom. Groaning, he got himself up, picked up his fire stick, which had fallen in the dirt instead, and stared questionably at the dangerous fruit.

"Well . . . now I know which fruit I get," sighed Yuki, silently. He got up and shook what water he could from off of his pants. Gently, he tip-toed up to the plant. He held a finger close to it, but didn't touch it. Fire immediately lit up the plant.

_"I wonder if water will ruin the plant completely . . ."_ Yuki thought. After a moment, he gather up some water in his palm and threw it on the flaming plant. Within moments, it sizzled and shriveled up into a pile of smelly sludge.

"I take that as a no," Yuki concluded. In frustration, he rested his hands on his hips and sighed. " . . . I wonder if anything else will set it on fire."

Yuki picked up a long, stray leaf. He felt silly for trying the inevitable, but he was willing to try anything to get out of this humid, swamp pond. He touched the fruit with the leaf, but the plant did not burn. It remained the same shape and same temperature.

_"Okay . . . as long as I don't touch it with my skin, I should be able to carry it. I would try my sleeve, but I'm not risking another fire."_

Yuki took a few large leaves and put it underneath one of the fruits. Then, carefully, with his fingers, he ripped the stem of the fruit from the rest of the plant. His finger got too close and the plant caught fire once more, almost burning him. He dealt the final cut and sent the plant to the ground. As soon as it hit the leaves, it extinguished its flames. Yuki wrapped the plant quickly and carried it gingerly around the edge of the pond. Now that that was done, he was on his way back to the check point.

"Dammit!"

Kyou looked underneath his foot, finding that he had stepped on some gooey residue. It smelled sickly sweet. An intoxicating kind of sweet.

Kyou's gag reflex was on the fritz. The smell was so putrid, his eyes watered. He ran off to the bushes and bent over. But instead of puking, he stopped short.

He saw some fruit, and it looked like a kind that could have been on the piece of parchment. He grabbed one, but grabbed it too soon. He squashed it between his fingers, and the same goo he had stepped in was now all over his hand.

Kyou made a retching noise and tried to shake it off, but it was no use. The stuff was too sticky. He wiped it on his shirt, but that didn't accomplish anything either. Now his shirt was sticky, and the bugs that were flying around were getting stuck to him. The ooze that remained under his shoe was sticking to twigs, rocks, and dirt.

"Ah hell!" Kyou yelled, trying to pull all the debris off of him. Upon freaking out over his misfortune, he tripped over a large stone, and fell smack-dab into the bush of oozing fruit. The impact was so sticky, that the noise of him crashing was no more than a slosh noise. His hair was covered in ooze and his face and body was covered in sweet-smelling goo. All the leaves from the bushes stuck to him like sticky tape. The more he tried to pull them off, the more stuff stuck to him. Nothing would come off of him without giving a fight.

"Shit!" he shouted. "No, no, NO!! Ughhhhh!! Dammit!!"

He turned around, noticing that most of the fruit was crushed.

" . . . Great, just perfect!"

But behold, one fruit was left, and it wasn't touched. He'd have to be extra careful.

Kyou stretched out his sticky fingers and grabbed the fruit gently. He pulled it out from its spot and held it far from him, hoping not to pop it, as he had done with others. While trying to avoid touching anything else, he headed back to the meeting point.

"Oh dear . . . I'm lucky that it's not too cold out here," Yuki complained.

"Consider yourself lucky," said a voice in the distance. Yuki looked behind him, finding Kyou coming around, looking the messiest he's ever looked.

"W-What happened to y-you?" Yuki asked, trying not to laugh.

"This . . . this ruddy FRUIT, this . . . IT'S NOT FUNNY!"

Yuki covered his mouth and chuckled quietly. Kyou searched him high and low for something to mock back.

"And what happened to you? Looks like you freakin' bladder broke," he claimed.

"I fell in the pond," Yuki answered, calming down his laughing fit. "So we've both got a piece of fruit. That's the main focus."

"Yeah, but where the hell is Hatori?"

" . . . I-I . . . I don't know. I haven't seen him yet."

Kyou put his fruit down on a nearby stone, got a good grip of his fire stick, and headed toward the darker part of the forest.

"Stupid cat . . ." Yuki said. "Go in there, and you'll get lost. Then I'LL have to search for you."

"Well, I'm not waiting for Hatori ta finish his little safari. I wanna get into town and change out of these damn clothes."

Kyou charged into the dark, foggy part of the forest, leaving Yuki by himself. He rolled his eyes and sighed.

" . . . Guess I better go after him before he does something stupid."


End file.
